Collar construction



Aug. 14, 1934. L. HAVEN 1,969,928-

COLLAR CONSTRUCTI ON Filed June 20, 1933 5.152 5 @Tlg-II.

gwuwntov Louis Haven Patented Aug. 14, 1934 FTENT ere Y The present invention relates to improvements in collar constructions and has for an object to provide a modified collar and stifien'mg element construction whereby the collar will be maintained at all times in a neat condition and appearance particularly at the front portion thereof where the wings of soft collars are apt 'to lose their shape and to become curled and unsightly in appearance.

The invention relates to certain improvements over other constructions described and claimed in my prior copending application, Serial No. 556,881, filed August 13, 1931, and the present application-is a continuation in part of so much of the subject matter as is common to said application.

With the foregoing and other objects in view the invention will be more fully described hereinafter and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

in the drawing wherein like reference charactersrefer to like or corresponding parts throughout the several views,

Figure 1 is a fragmentary view of a shirt having a collar thereon in a folded out condition showing the application of the invention thereto.

Figure 2 is a similar view showing only one corner portion of the collar and shirt and with the 39 stiffening element removed.

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the stiifening element removed from the collar.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary'front view of the shirt with the collar in the turned down position with the exception of one wing which is elevated to show the invention. I

' Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 1 but showing a modified construction.

Figure 6 is a perspective view of the stifiening element employed in Figure 5. v

Figure 7 is a fragmentary plan View showing a further modified construction.

Figure 8 shows a still further modified form.

Figures 9, 10 and 11 show further modifications.

Referring more particularly to the drawing and for the present to Figures 1 to 4 inclusive, l0 designates generally a shirt having a collar band '11 and receiving an attached or detached collar represented at 12.

In the inner ply or fold of the collar are produced slots 13 and 14 spaced apart and in substantially parallel relation, the lengths of such slots being substantially vertical or transverse to the length of the collar. These slots are disposed near the wing tips 15 of the collar and they afford pockets between the plies or folds for the receipt of the end portions of the stiffening member 16 which may be made of celluloid, whale bone, metal or other suitable material preferably possessing some flexibility or elasticity. The stiffening member 16 will be long and relatively thin and pointed or tipped at one end 17 where it enters the collar tip 15. This end 17 is also preferably curved to take the curvature of the wing tip and will be curved or cut away 5 at on side, as indicated at 18, to bring the end 17 substantially to a point whereby to enter the point of the wing tip of the collar and thus reinforce and stiffen the wing down to the angle tip to avoid such tip from curling outward or upward 7 or losing its shape.

In use, the end 1'? of the stiffening member will be first introduced into the slot 13 and pushed up into the wing tip 15 of the collar. The stifiener is then flexed so as to enable its opposite end to be introduced into the slot 14 and pushed to the position shown in Figure 1. The slots 13 and 14 will be of substantially the same width as the stiffening member 16 to avoid the stiffener mov- However, the

ing up and down in the collar. stifiener can be adjusted longitudinally of itself by the exposed intermediate portion of the stiifener. This intermediate exposed portion enables the stiffener to be adjusted without making a hole in the tip of the collar or otherwise damaging the collar or crumpling the same. Adjustments take care of any possible shrinkage in collars. When the collar is in position on the neck, as shown in Figure 4, the'stiffener will be curved, partaking of the curvature 'of the collar as it fits about the neck. This curved condition maintains the stiffener firmly in position and against longitudinal sliding. Slots 13 and 14 being substantially same width as stiffener, prevents stiffener from vertical sliding. When in position, the stiffener prevents the tip portions 15 of the collar from turning or curling outward or up. In Figure 1 the slot 13 is preferably about 1% inches from the tip of the collar and the second slot 14: about 3 inches from the tip of the collar, giving about 2 inches for adjustment by the fingers, if necessary.

Referring more particularly to Figures 5 and 6, a shirt 19 is illustrated having a collar band 20 and a collar 21, the wing tip portion of which 1 24 is formed adjacent the edge 26 of the collar tip, while the slot is adjacent the longitudinal edge 27 of the collar and is spaced further from the slot 22.

The stiffening element consists of a tip portion 28 adapted to enter the pocket, and short and long arms 29 and constructed to lie along the edges 26 and 27 respectively of the collar.

In use, the tip portion 28 is first introduced through the long slot 22 into the pocket, this tip portion 28 being formed substantially coextensively with the wing tip portion so as to reinforce and stiffen the same throughout its entire area. The short arm 29 is then doubled up or flexed and its free end inserted in the slot 24. The long arm 30 is then doubled up or flexed until its free end portion may be inserted in the slot 25 whereby such arm 30 lies for an' extensive distance along the long edge 27 of the collar. The stiffener is held in position by the slot walls but can be moved slightly lengthwise or sidewise which will prevent injury to the collar.

When the collar is worn, the long arm 30 will partake of the curvature of the collar and thus the stiffener will be held securely against sliding movement. The exposed part of the stiffener betweenthe slots gives one an opportunity to adjust such stiffenerwith his fingers when the collar is in position. Inasmuch as the free end of the short arm 29 is obscured in a pocket, the manipulationof the necktie is easy. The stiffeners are interchangeable from one side of the collar to the other. The elasticity of the stiifeners acts to keep the tips of the collars in a straight and neat position. The stiifeners need only be about A to inch in width and about 5 inches long, or, in other words just long enough so that the end of the stiffener, when the collar is in position, embraces the curved part of the collar on the neck thus keeping the stiffener in position. stiffener in Figures 3 and 6 will give good results if made of material about 15/1000 inch in thickness. Other forms of stiffener can be made of materials slightly less in thickness.

In Figure 5 the slot 22 is about an inch from the tip of the collar, slot 24 about A to 1 inch from the slot 22, and the slot 25 about 3 inches from the tip of the collar.

The stiffener is easy to insert and easy to remove for laundering and only a small portion of the stiffener is subjected to the heat of the body making collar cool and comfortable at all times; namely, that end which engages the circular part about the neck when the collar is in position. When movement of the head forces the tips of the collar from a normal position and then the pressure is removed, the end portions of the stiffener which engage about the circular part of the collar on the neck are held in a fixed position, giving suffioient-leverage to twist the opposite end on the tip of the collar back into its original, straight and neat position.

Referring more particularly to Figure 7 a modified form of stifiener is shown involving a web portion 31 connecting the arms 29' and 30 so that the tip portion 28' is solid for a considerable distance therefor adding to the comparative rigidity of the stiffener and providing a greater finger hold for manipulating the device.

In Figure 8 a further modification is shown in that a tongue 32 is formed on the stiffener between the arins 29 and 30 which tongue projects to a position about A; inch from the top of the collar to provide for slight roll on top of the collar when in position with a necktie.

In Figure 9 another form is shown with a single slot opening 34 in the collar for receivin the large part 37 of the stiffener. The small end 38 or" the stiffener is slidable through a small slot 39 in the inner ply of the collar 33. A large wide intermediate portion 36 of the stiffener extends for substantially the entire height of the collar 33.

In Figure 10 a further form of stiffener is shown in which the collar 40 is provided with a slot 42 for receiving the pointed end portion 41 of the stiffener 43. The other end of the stiffener is inserted beneath a strap 45. The intermediate portion of the stiffener is provided with slots 45 at opposite sides of the tongue 44, which tongue is adapted to enter a pocket 47 in the collar.

In Figure 11 the long thin stiffener 48 has one pointed end 49 entering the wing of the collar through Slit 50 and its other end engaged through a strap 51. At intermediate portions the stiffener is provided with elongated tongues 52 and 53 which are received in pockets 54 and 55 of the collar. These pockets are in the lower seam which seam is generally about /4 of an inch wide.

It is obvious that various changes and modifications may be made in the details of construction and design of the above specifically described embodiment of this invention without departing from the spirit thereof, such changes and modifications be ng restricted only by the scope of the following 1 claims What is claimed is:

1. An improved collar of two ply construction having an elongated slot made diagonally from edge to edge of the tip portion and providing a pocket within said tip portion, the inner ply of the collar also having two other narrowslots one along the transverse free edge of the collar and another along the longitudinal edge thereof, and a stiffening element having a wedgedshaped tip portion for entering the first mentioned slot and said pocket, said stiffener having short and long arms diverging from said tip portion and adapted to enter the other two slots and extend along the transverse and longitudinal edge portions of the collar.

2. An improved collar of two ply construction having wing tip portions and the inner ply having an elongated diagonal slot intersecting the tip portions and forming pockets in the tip portions outwardly of the slot, said inner ply also having narrow slots at different distance from the first mentioned slots and respectively lying along the transverse and longitudinal edges of the collar, and a stiffening member of celluloid or the like having a wedged-shaped tip portion adapted to enter said elongated slot and said pocket, a short flexible and a long flexible arm extending in divergent relation from said tip portion and adapted respectively to enter the narrow slot along the transverse and longitudinal edges of the collar, the free end portion of the long arm being adapted to partially encircle the neck when the collar is worn.

3. A collar of two ply construction having in its inner ply spaced slots, and a stiffening member having a-tip portion for entering one of the slots and long and short arms for entering other of the spaced slots, and a web portion extending between said arms and substantiallyconforming to the area of the tip of the collar.

4. A collar of two ply construction having in its inner ply a plurality of slots, and a stiffening member having a tip portion for entering one slot, and long and short arms for entering other of said slots, and a tongue portion between the long and short arms being rounded and extending up close to the upper edge portion of the collar.

5. An improved collar of two ply construction having a wing tip portion and a substantially transverse slot formed in the inner ply adjacent the longitudinal edge of the collar and at a substantial distance from the wing tip portion to provide a relatively long pocket between the tip of the collar and the slot, the inner ply also having a substantially transverse slot adjacent the longitudinal edge of the collar and in substantially longitudinal alinement with said first slot and located at a greater distance from the wing tip portion than the first slot, and a long thin flexible stifiening member adapted to have one end inserted in said first slot and to have a relatively great portion of its length received by said long pocket, the other end of said stifiener being inserted in said second slot, the intermediate portion of said slot being exposed between the slots.

6. An improved collar of two ply construction having a wing tip portion and a substantially transverse slot formed in the inner ply at a substantial distance from the wing tip portion to provide a relatively long pocket between the tip of the collar and the slot, the inner ply also having a substantially transverse slot in substantially longitudinal alinement with said first slot and located at a greater distance from the wing tip portion than the first slot, and a long thin flexible stifiening member adapted to have one end inserted in said first slot and to have a relatively great portion of its length received by said long pocket, the other end of said stifiener being inserted in said second slot, the intermediate portion of said slot being exposed between the slots, the end portion received by said long pocket being curved and cut away on one side to produce a curved point entering into the tip of the collar Wing.

LOUIS HAVEN. 

